Dr. Web Makes Many Americans Question Trusted Health...( Although trust in medical profession...),Health

Although trust in medical professionals remains strong, 85.6 million U.S. adults have doubted their opinion or diagnosis when it conflicts with

information found on the Internet

Hispanics most likely to rely on friends and family

NEW YORK, July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirty-eight percent of U.S. adults (or 85.6 million people) say they have doubted a medical professional's opinion or diagnosis because it conflicted with information they found online. However, despite the growing power of the Internet, the majority of Americans still view health providers as their most trusted source of medical information.

In contrast, Hispanics were significantly less likely to trust healthcare providers first, choosing to speak to family, friends and significant others more than other races.

This research, commissioned by healthcare marketing communications consultancy Envision Solutions, represents the first in a series of studies examining how Americans are using various interactive technologies, including the Internet, for health. To download a summary of the survey results, please go to http://www.envisionsolutionsnow.com/healthtrust.html .

Additional Study Highlights

-- Young Most Likely To Be Skeptical Of Medical Advice: Over four in ten (43%) Americans ages 18 to 34 said they doubted their health provider's advice when it conflicted with online sources.

-- Hispanics Least Likely To Rely On Traditional Authority Figures: Only 34% of Hispanics said they would consult their primary health provider first if they were diagnosed with a medical condition versus 62% of whites and 61% of African-Americans.

-- Once Trusted Institutions Receive Low Marks: Overall, very few Americans listed institutions such as government, the media and non-profits as highly credible health information sources.

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